Indurated albuminoid compound.



nvnoniz. GOLDSMITH, or new Yomgn. 'Y;

mnuiwrnn ntnunnvom comronnn.

Specification of Letters Patent. a

Patented May 2 1,

No Drawing. Original application filed October 7, 1907, Serial mipseaiae. Divided and application filed January 2, 1909,. 558,033;

Scrial No. 470,393. Divided and this. application filed April 27, 1910. Serial No.

To all who?? it may can arm.

' Be it known that I, Bi izon B. GOLDSMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing-in the borough of Manhattan, city, county,

5 and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Indurated Albuminoid Compounds, of which the following is a specification. 1

In my U. S. Patent Number 840,931,

dated January 8th, 1907 I have described a process whereby a thermoplastic compound m'aybe made from casein or its derivatives, as a convenient-and cheap substit'ute for celluloid, rubberand the like; and

I made it clear in said patent that the term thermoplastic was meant to describe those masses which, while relatively hard at ordinary temperatures, are rendered softer by heat, so as to permit the uniting ofseparate masses and .the molding of any mass to any desired shape. I

My present invention is'based upon the discovery that, byuniting the action of converti'ng agents with that of an indurating agent, such as formaldehyde, or its equivalents, upon vegetable albuminoids or proteids and their derivatives or -compounds,

, animproved result is obtained, and the re- I spective actions bf the 'indurating agent and 0 converting agent are not destroyed.

My novel invention is based upon 'th discovery that a vegetable albuminoid which has been modified by the action .of

formaldehyde or its equivalent is capable of being rendered thermoplastic by combination with a converting agent; and further- -more that the thermoplastic compound so produced has certain advantages over that produced in --cordance withmy aforesaid 4 -U. S. Letters Patent The converting agent in my process is "that chemical substance which, when combined or admixed with the albuminoid, acts whenever heated, .to soften the same, but

. whose softening action is. suspended or materially diminished upon lowering the tem-" perature 'of the mass. Someof these converting agents, are alpha-naphthol, beta- -naplithol, benzoic acid, carbolic acid, hy-

drochinone, cresol, pyrocate'chin, resorcin, salicylic acid, urea, phthalic, acid, phloroglucin, pyrogallol, paratoluiidinynaphthylamin, benzidin, oxy naphthojc acid, alinin,

- toluidin and xylidin. Althiough these 'sub-- stances and their derivatives and compounds compounds, but that the'term "are, known to me to give good results for the purposes above-set forth, it is to be,

understood that I donot limit myself to verting agent is its capacity to remain in- (i the-mass and not be volatilized to amterial extent when moderate heat is applied. I have discovered that the bestresults are obtained by the use of solid reagents such as; alpha or betanaphthol and I have claimed this variant of my process and product specifically herein. Where flexibility is de-,'

sired in the product, however, I have discovered that a liquid converting agent or other liquid not antagonistic to the mixture may be" combined with asolid converting agent to great advantage. i i' The. vegetable proteids form numerous compounds arid derivatives, and it is to be understood that, where vegetable proteid is claimed herein, this term covers such compounds and derivatlves as well. v

Certaln converting agents are better thederivatives of such proteids or their compounds, or combinations of two or more proteids (their derivatives or compounds) give results superior to those resulting from use of a single unchanged proteid.

The degree of hardness of the thermo-i' plastic compound in the cold state will vary with the particular converting agent or agents employed and with the proportions used. Thus a great varietyof character- 'adapted to be used with some vegetable pro :te1ds than wit-bothers, and in many cases istics are obtained by suitable variations in. v

proportions and qualities;

1 In the manufacture of my composition the vegetable proteid after treatment with the indurating agent maybe united with a suitable converting agent on. and between suit-ably heated rolls, or any other method of uniting thesesubstancesmay be resortedto by which they are brought into intimate contact Instead of using-the converting agents in their natural state they maybe first dissolved in' alcohol, water or vother suitable liquid which is afterward driven ofi by heat. I

The term indurating agent as used herein appliesto these agents which, like formaldehyde, give to the compound greater toughness and permanency, increasing its resistance to the action of water. I have also found-that where the vegetable albuminoid is treated with an indurating agent and afterward combined with a converting agent to produce a thermoplastic compound, the tendency of the mass to stick to the mold is much lessened, and thus a better impression is produced in molded articles. The use of'formaldehyde or its equivalent in the manner herein specified has another valuable advantage. It is found ,that when the converting agent is a solid one and is used without an indurating agent in suflicient quantities to make an easily mold able mass, there is a tendency for the converting agent to separate and form a deposit upon the surface of the finished article. This gives a spotted appearance which would make an article unmarketable. On

the other hand, if the'indUrating agent is used, this tendency is entirely overcome,

and a composition made in accordance with my present invention can be made as plastic as desired without danger of spotting through the cause above described.-

In carrying ,out my invention a. variety .of reagents in various proportions maybe employed. The following specific process may be taken as a typical example. The

vegetable albuminoid or proteid is treatedwith formaldehyde'or its equivalent in any desired manner, as by sprinkling and thoroughly moistening with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde. strength of the indurating agent and the length of time it is allowed to act upon the casein shouldbe regulated according to the nature of thecompound desired. Take four pounds of gluten which has been treated as aforesaid-and sprinkle the same with about a pound and a half of beta-naphthol dissolved in alcohol. This is then well mixed, preferably on suitably heated rolls, and,

a when the mixture is completed, the .mass is removed and is soft while hot but hardens on cooling. In this manner sheets of ther moplastic material are produced which are quite plastic while hot, but harden on cooling. Scraps of various substances maybe mixed in with the massesthus formed'in considerable quantities. Among these are celluloid scraps, finelydivided albuminoids,

bits of horn, rubber, resins, gums and coloring matter. Compounding substances or fillers can also be incorporated without departing from this invention.

I have found that, in order to obtain the best results a non-hygroscopic converting agent should be used, and I have made a.

specifieclaim herein for converting agents of this character. It is to be understood thatmy process may The amount and be carried opt with a greater or less degree of induration, and in some cases it is not advisable to carry this process very far. The indurating agent may be obviously first employed in manufacture of the material before compression and a second time upon the compressed mass or on the finished article.

'convertin'g described;

2. The process of pr'oducinga thermoagent therewith, substantially as causing an indurating agent to act upon a vegetable albuminoid, then mixing a conpressing the mass, substantially as described.

3. The process of producin a thermoplastic compound which consists in first mixing an indurating agent with a vegetable albuminoid, mixing a converting agent with the mass so produced, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

4. The process of producing a thermotreating a vegetable albuminoid with formaldehyde, 'mixing the mass "so produced with a converting agent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

plastic compoundwhich-consists in first treating a vegetable albliininoid with an induratbeta-naphthol or its equivalent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

6. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in first treating a vegetable -albuminoid with forwith beta-naphthol or its equivalent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

7. Theprocess. of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in mixing .withi'anormally solid converting agent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

plastic compound which consists in imxmg an induratmg agent with a -vegetable'alvegetable albuminoid and then mixing a" plastic compound which consists in first verting agent therewith, and heating and.

plastic compound which consists in first 5. The process of prodiicing a thermoing agent,-m1x1ng the mass so produced with 8 The process of producing a thermo-' This application is a division of my pending application for improvement in Indu- 1 maldehyde, mixing the mass so produced 1 an indurating agent with-a vegetable al-," buminoid, mixing the mass so produced buminoid, mixing the mass so produced with a normally solid' and substantially nonvolatile converting agent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

9.- A composition of matter composed of a more or less indurated vegetable albuminoid mixed with a converting agent, substantially as described.

10. composltion of matter composed of a more or less indurated vegetable albuminoid mixed with a normally solid converting agent, substantially as described.

11. A com osition of matter composed of minoid mixed with a. normally solid and substantially non-volatile converting agent,

' substantially as described.

12. A composition of matter'eomposed of a more or, less indurated vegetable albu- 20 minoid mixed with beta-naphthol orits. equivalent, substantially as described.

BYRON B. GOLDSMITH. Witnesses: v

'H. S. MAGKAYE, M. A. BUTLER.

a more "or ess 'indurated vegetable albu- '15 I 

